So, that was a little dramatic, but if he caught on to what I’d heard, he’d kill me, so maybe it wasn’t.

Instead of turning fully I looked over my shoulder and made my apologies, which seemed to be the theme of the evening. Me, apologizing profusely to every man I’d come in contact with.

“Mr. Kelly, I’m sorry but I’m not feeling well. It started earlier, and well, I got dizzy and dropped a box of tumblers.” Shit, I forgot to restock them in the VIP room. “Now I have a massive headache coming on.”

“Perhaps you’d better lie down in one of the rooms,” Lorenzo returned. “It’s unwise for you to drive in your condition.”

My condition wasn’t ever something that would go away—I would forever be haunted by my selfishness and indecency.

“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine until I make it home.”

Lorenzo bowed his head like he was some sort of gentleman bidding me a good night.

Sick bastard.

“Very well. I hope you feel better.” Lorenzo’s attention went from me to Asher. “Mr. Newcomb, we’ll meet when you get back.”

Wait, they’d meet?

Wordlessly, Asher grabbed my elbow. The silence stretched as he led me out of the mansion to my car.

“Keys,” he demanded.

I quickly fished them out of my purse, wanting to make this as painless as possible. Unfortunately, Asher had other ideas and made them clear when he swung me around until my back was against my car and he was in my space.

“A few things,” he rapped out and when he leaned in close, I held my breath for his wrath. “You go directly to the beach house. When you get there, tell Wilson there are ten VIPs here with three guards.”

“What?”

“I have a meeting with Lorenzo when I get back in there. Tell that to Wilson, too. He’ll know what it means. And tell him if I don’t check in shit’s gone sideways. Got that?”

Shit’s gone sideways?

My heart rate picked up and those fake dizzy spells were becoming very real.

“What?”

“Sweetness, I need you to listen close. I need to get back in there. Ten VIPs, three guards, if I miss check-in, tell him to come get me.”

Again, how was this happening? I was not made for this kind of life. I’d always thought I wanted excitement and fireworks and thunder and lightning. Now I knew better. I wanted boring, the kind of mind-numbing tediousness that meant nothing dangerous would ever happen.

“Ash…Adam,” I breathed past the lump in my throat. “Come with me. Right now, don’t go back in there.”

“And tonight, when I get home, we’re talking about what happened and why you shut down on me.”

I didn’t want to have that conversation—as in ever.

But still…

“Come to the beach house with me and we’ll talk about it right now.”

“Hey, baby, hey.” Both hands came up to cup my jaw and tilt my head back. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”